Admirals
by Starsinger
Summary: Pike Story renamed. McCoy's a drunk and can't be found, so a desperate cry from a little girl reaches the right ears.
1. Chapter 1

**Pike**

by Starsinger

**There are two endings to this story, one with a happy ending, one with a sad ending. Pike lives, Jim doesn't. Don't own them.**

"Dammit McCoy! I want to see him! I need to say good-bye!" Pike's voice roared over the comm. McCoy glanced over at the body bag, trying hard not to think that Jim lay in it. His autopsy had confirmed what everyone already knew, radiation poisoning had killed the Captain. McCoy knew how Chris felt, like his heart had been ripped out of his chest and stomped on before being replaced. The slow ache that he felt would never go away, or diminish. Be that as it may, Christopher Pike was supposed to be dead, Spock and Kirk saw him die, or so they thought. If he was yelling at McCoy, he wasn't dead.

McCoy couldn't answer the Admiral, he just flipped the communicator shut. An honor guard had accompanied them on the shuttle down to Starfleet medical. No one wanted to leave Kirk's body unattended. McCoy had ideas on how this was going to happen. As soon as the shuttle doors opened onto Earth, McCoy opened the bag baring Jim's still, pain-ravaged face for all to see. He wanted the cadets, and most of all the Admiralty to understand what they had lost today because of an unchecked Starfleet Admiral.

McCoy gave instructions to the Security detail that they would stop by Admiral Pike's room before heading to the morgue. He walked behind the silent gurney watching ahead as first cadets, then their instructors, then the Federation Council and their President, and finally the Admiralty showed up to watch the procession. Cadets stiffened to attention, the council bowed their heads, and the Admiralty saluted their fallen comrade. Porthos, dear Porthos, sat and howled at his master's side.

This scene was repeated over and over again as they made their way through the hospital corridors, and finally wound up in Chris' room. He'd convinced the staff to let him sit in a wheel chair, although what he was doing alive barely registered in McCoy subconscious. They wheeled the gurney over to Pike and lowered it so he could reach Kirk. His trembling hand reached out and caressed Kirk's hair as the reality of it finally became clear. McCoy watched as the old man started to cry. "Jim, it wasn't supposed to be you, you weren't supposed to die."

Pike wrapped his arms around Jim and pulled him into his arms. "I'm sorry, Jim, I'm so sorry. You were a fine Captain, in every way possible. You were also the son of my heart." McCoy watched as Pike closed his eyes against the tears streaming down his face. Then, he took a deep breath and gently replaced Jim to his previous position. "Good-bye, Son." McCoy watched as they helped Chris back into his bed. McCoy knew that Chris would never make it to Jim's funeral, that was why he needed this moment. In fact, the Admiral would spend the rest of his life rooting out Section 31 and slowly destroying it, piece by piece.

_Three Days Later_

McCoy flinched as the twenty-one gun salute fired overhead. McCoy had done a lot of thinking over the past few days. He'd asked for a transfer, he just couldn't go back to the Enterprise without looking at the command chair and not seeing Jim. He owed Starfleet another four years, but that didn't mean he had to stay on the ship where Jim died. None of them could, they had all asked for transfers, the ship would have an entirely new command staff. He sighed as one-by-one everyone left except for him, Spock, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu and Chekov. They stared at the headstone, and then at each other, well aware that this would probably be the last time they were altogether in one place for a long time.

"It's not fair," Uhura finally whispered. "He shouldn't have died." Spock put his arm around her. She approached the tombstone, "Good-bye Jim." She shook her head, unable to say anything more. One at a time they each paid their final respects before McCoy found himself alone.

He walked up to the grave and knelt down, touching the earth underneath which his friend lay, "What am I supposed to do now, Jim? You were always there, encouraging me, bullying me along. How am I supposed to continue doing this? You were the most selfish bastard I knew. You went into the warp core chamber, knowing you would die, and knowing that it would rip everyone apart, and we never deserved a friend like you. Rest in Peace, my friend. May you find what you never had in this life." With that, McCoy turned and walked away.

**Now, the alternate story.**

Christopher Pike was alive, and watched as his world crashed down around him. The giant ship coasted by, just barely missing his room, much of the hospital now lay in ruins. He lay there in shock, the ship was clearly Federation, what had Admiral Marcus been up to? He heard the sirens and watched as an individual jumped what had to have been thirty feet from the ship on to the ground and take flight. He also watched as a transporter beam made itself apparent and the very familiar Vulcan shape darted after the other one. The determination of his stride made Pike wonder what the other man had done to so thoroughly piss Spock off. He would soon have his answer

"Admiral, a shuttle from the Enterprise is coming down to pick you up. It's headed for the hospital in Zurich, and taking you along with another critically injured patient as well," Pike nodded. Maybe McCoy would be on the shuttle. Pike was wheeled onto the shuttle that would take him to Switzerland. He was startled by the death and destruction around him.

Pike's heart lurched as he saw what looked like a cryotube aboard the shuttle along with McCoy clutching a cooler. McCoy smiled at the Admiral, "You look good for someone who's supposed to be dead."

"Who've you got in there?" Pike asked.

Pike's entire world lurched sideways as McCoy responded, "Jim." McCoy proceeded to tell him the story after Pike's "death".

"The doctors performed emergency surgery on me, I don't know how but they pulled me back from death. Are you sure you can save him?" Pike asked anxiously.

"No, but I know I have to try. Jim would want this chance," McCoy said. I'll keep you informed, Chris, I promise I will." Chris nodded, knowing McCoy would try. The doctor was probably going to be very busy the next few days.

Four days later Pike finally snuck away to see Kirk. The man's lung had collapsed earlier that day and he was on a vent, but that, thankfully, was all the life-support he needed. "Hey, Jim, it's me, Chris. They're trying to promote you to Admiral, believe it or not, I won't let them. You have enough to worry about right now." Chris looked over and saw the book sitting on the table, the one Uhura left behind.

"A Tale of Two Cities, huh? Not exactly light reading," Pike started reading aloud. It lasted until Pike's own exasperated nurses came and found him.

Pike snuck out again a week later, and much to his horror, Jim's room was empty. He turned around to hear a familiar voice behind him, "Oh, hello Admiral, I didn't realize that they were letting you out."

Hikaru Sulu stood in front of him, smiling cheerfully, "Lieutenant, I came to see Jim. Do you know…" his voice trailed off, fearfully.

"Oh, he's in surgery right now. They've had to schedule several over this week to correct damage not created by the radiation. They don't want him waking up to more problems than necessary." Chris listened as the young man told him of the broken bones that were set just two days before.

"So, Jim's going to live?" Chris half whispered, not daring hope.

"Oh, yeah, he should be awake in a few days. There he is now," Sulu gestured as Jim was wheeled back in. The orderlies carefully returned Jim to his bed and promptly put up the bed rails. McCoy stood making notes in his chart before deciding to leave with Sulu.

Chris rolled up next to the bed, tears of happiness rolling down his face. "Jim, son, I'm so glad to hear you're going to be alright. When you need me, I'll be here," Chris stared as Jim's hand reached out to him. Chris took it with a grin. "You're becoming responsive to people, huh? McCoy really must be planning to wake you up soon. I hope he remembers me when he does." He patted Jim's hand before rolling back down the corridor, whistling as he went.

Later that week Uhura came and got him, "Come on, Admiral, let's go see Jim."

"He's awake?" Pike asked.

"No, not yet, it will be today," Uhura's happiness shone through as she pushed him back to ICU. "McCoy and Spock thought you should join them, I'm going to wait with the others."

Pike grinned as he went into the room. Spock glanced down at him with a nod before resuming his careful study of Jim's still figure. Then, suddenly, Pike saw the blue eyes open spontaneously, almost shocked that he was back in the waking world. "Oh, don't be so melodramatic, you were barely dead," McCoy said, Chris suppressed a chuckle. Although the "No more than usual comment," made him guffaw.

Chris watched the interplay between Kirk and Spock, and realized that these two were well suited for the command crew of a ship, more so than many others he had seen. Then, Jim's eyes seemed to refocus on the back of the room, on him. "I thought you were dead," Kirk whispered.

"Not as dead as you were, apparently," Chris said as the rest of the command crew piled up behind him. They all shared a moment of private celebration before Kirk drifted off to sleep.

_One Year Later_

Pike stood on the bridge of the Enterprise, a final inspection tour of his own before they left space dock. He was proud of this captain and her crew. They would do well, and Pike had no doubt in his mind that she would return safely at the end of her five year mission.

The turbolift doors opened and Pike turned to see Jim bound through them and smile as he looked on the bridge. "Captain on the Bridge!" Sulu announced before vacating the center seat. Pike smiled as Kirk walked over to him.

"Glad you could make it, Chris. Wish you were coming with us," he said genuinely.

"Me too, Jim, I'll just have to live it through your sporadic reports. Just do us all a favor and don't get lost in Klingon space like the Gagarin did."

"Don't worry, Chris, this isn't a ship full of scientists," Jim said with a laugh.

"Well, that's why I'm not that worried about that," Chris chuckled. "Good luck everybody," Pike walked slowly to the turbolift before turning and watching Jim slowly slide into the seat. He respected it now, it now had a new meaning, sitting in that chair. Pike turned and left the ship for her mission and her destiny.


	2. Chapter 2

**Archer**

by Starsinger

**Okay, officially renaming this one Admirals. Again, Jim dies, and then doesn't. Pike is still alive. This is about Tarsus IV, and a holo Jim leaves Archer in case he dies before Archer does about Hoshi. The second part, Archer sits down and talks to both Pike and Kirk.**

"If you're watching this, John. I am dead. Whether by accident, disease, or design, mine or someone else's, you deserve to know about Hoshi. You see, I was JT, leader of the Tarsus 9, and I helplessly watched as our friend, Hoshi Sato, was gunned down outside her home on Tarsus IV. The rest of this holo will detail my account of what happened there. Dr. McCoy is currently waiting for you in the morgue, I imagine. He'll have you take pictures of the only evidence of the brutality of Tarsus IV I have left to give."

Archer watched as the screen went blank, and swallowed hard. It had been an hour since he had witnessed the shuttle land from the Enterprise and the stretcher bearing Kirk depart. He needed to do this, if not for Hoshi's sake, but Kirk's as well. He went down to the morgue, where, indeed, McCoy and Spock waited. They wanted no other witnesses to what was about to transpire. "Okay, let's get started," McCoy said to the voice recorder. "My name is Lieutenant Commander Leonard McCoy, Doctor, Starfleet, with me are Admiral Johnathan Archer and Commander Spock, also Starfleet. We are taking pictures of evidence in the case of one James Tiberius Kirk, also known as JT, leader of the Tarsus 9."

Jim had been stripped nude and lay cold and stiff on the table. Rigor mortis had set in. "Do you want to cover his face?" Archer asked.

"No, Jim said that if this happened, it wouldn't matter if people knew he was JT. He would be beyond the reach of anyone's retribution." Archer nodded as he picked up the camera. McCoy started pointing out various scars of burn marks and other implements of torture. The front was the easy part, he would soon learn. "Okay Admiral, this is the hard part. Jim's back is a mess of scars, we're going to turn him over. Are you ready?" Again, Archer swallowed hard before nodding his head. Spock and McCoy turned Jim over to reveal layers upon layers of scar tissue that crisscrossed the man's back.

"What made these?" Archer heard himself ask.

"A whip, with flanges, designed to cause maximum pain and damage, without killing. He was fifteen when Kodos left these scars on him. That's what Jim said, anyway," McCoy's professional demeanor did not hide the sorrow his eyes held. Archer took pictures from multiple angles, wanting to make sure that nothing was missed. Finally, they turned Jim back over. "Alright, let's let funeral services take care of it from here. There's nothing more we can do."

"Leonard, is there anything I can do?" Archer asked.

"I'd like to see my little girl," McCoy whispered. Archer made sure he was on the next shuttle to Georgia.

**Jim lives**

Jim sat in the wheelchair, packing his stuff. It was time to return to San Francisco, and couldn't wait. He heard a voice clearing in the room and looked up to see Chris standing there, smiling at him. "Do you really think McCoy will let you leave?"

Jim snorted, "His and Archer's idea. They want me out of Zurich," he said nodding at his security detail.

"What is that all about?" Pike asked, curiously.

"We found Kodos. He was hiding as an actor, one Anton Karidian. Archer would feel better if I was back in San Francisco, and Bones agreed."

"How?" Chris asked bemusedly.

"The fleet hospital there has been repaired," McCoy answered him from behind. "Jim won't be staying there, but his physical therapy can continue."

"Ah, I'd wondered how you'd agreed to all this," Chris said. "Here, your first assignment, redesign the Kobayashi Maru. Make it so cadets won't be tempted to reprogram it."

"The only way I can do that is to make it so that it's no longer unwinnable, Admiral." Kirk responded.

"Go on," Chris replied. Kirk went on to explain the fifty-two second window he'd put in the program. "Huh, if they get it within the time frame, their next stop is under your wing, if they get it at all…"

"They still get my help, and will probably benefit from it. You should be able to tell who should be commanding battle cruisers built for exploration, versus those who need to stay nearby and run the solar system routes with it. Tough but fair."

"How about your surviving crew? How many do you want back?" Chris asked.

"As many as want to come back," Kirk responded. "Admiral Archer wants to talk to me when we get back."

Pike chuckled, "Yeah, I heard that."

Pike went with Kirk to Archer's office, "Chris, I don't mean to sound rude, but this is a private matter…"

"It's alright, John, he knows about Tarsus IV. He was on one of the rescue teams, not the one that found me, but one of them."

"You know about his scars?"

"More than can be seen, John, Jim's had a tough life."

"Sending you on this mission won't make your life any easier, Jim. There aren't even any guarantees you'll come back."

"I wasn't supposed to come back from that last mission Marcus sent me on either," Kirk spat. "Neither was my crew." Pike reached over and put his hand on Kirk's shoulder. Kirk shrugged it off, "I'm not angry, Chris, or bitter, the man is dead, and frankly, got what he deserved." Pike just nodded, "John, you've always dealt fairly with me, and I appreciate it. Five years to do nothing but explore, I'm looking forward to the challenge. If we don't make it back, well, we died with our boots on!"

"Kodos' trial is in two weeks, Jim. Will you be ready?" Archer asked.

Jim sighed, "As ready as I'll ever be." Jim reached into his pocket and brought out a locket. "Hoshi gave this to me right before she was killed. Said to give it to you if I ever got the chance." Jim handed it over to the Admiral. When he looked inside there were three words, "Live life well."


	3. Chapter 3

**Barnett and Sam**

by Starsinger

**Yeah, yeah, you know the drill now, the first is depressing, the second, not nearly as much. lol Don't own them.**

The lines had started to form just after Kirk's casket had been delivered to the Academy's chapel. It wasn't that he was a beloved figure in San Francisco, most of its inhabitants hadn't known who he was before he died. It was that he was symbolic of the sacrifice and loss that had occurred that day. San Franciscans understood that he died so more people on the ground wouldn't.

Barnett stood silently in line behind some cadets. He listened to comments as people streamed by, "He was so young!" One elderly woman said.

"He was so CUTE," one girl sobbed. Barnett shook his head. The line crept forward as one by one people went to look at the Captain. When Barnett finally got his chance, he was startled by the good work the funeral home had done. They had managed to make him look less yellow and more relaxed. Like he had fallen asleep here in his dress uniform and would awake at any moment. As usual, flowers were everywhere. Diplomats from everywhere sent their condolences, mostly for the political correctness of the moment.

Barnett also noticed the full Captain's bars on Kirk's collar and smiled. He deserved that at least. "Good-bye Jim," Barnett whispered. He turned away before hearing a genuine sob behind him. He turned back to see another young man, who looked remarkably like the body in the casket, collapsed on the ground next to the coffin. The Honor Guard nearby approached him, but Barnett waved them off, "Son, are you alright?"

"No," the man sobbed. "Jimmy was my little brother."

Barnett wasn't quite sure what to say next. Soon, a figure broke away from the line and came over, "Sam?"

Sam looked up to see McCoy standing there, "Yes?"

"I'm Dr. McCoy, a friend of Jim's."

"You couldn't save him?" Sam asked. He clearly didn't grasp what had happened to his brother.

"No, Sam, only God could have done that, and he clearly wasn't listening that day." Barnett watched as McCoy took the opportunity to have his own private moment with Jim before returning to his brother. "Come on, Sam, how long has it been since you've eaten?"

"A couple of days? I don't have much opportunity to scrounge, I don't have anyplace to live," he half whispered. Barnett cursed, the son of George Kirk and the brother of James Kirk, homeless and starving. They took him to the Academy Mess Hall where he devoured his meal.

McCoy looked at Sam's arms. They were a mess, needle marks and track marks all up and down them. Most of them healed. In spite of the invention of the hypo, syringes were the cheapest and easiest way to go. "How long have you been off drugs, Sam?"

"Since Jimmy died," he whispered.

McCoy took to him to Medical where he gave Sam a complete work-up. "He's clean," McCoy said. "There's nothing worse than an aspirin in his system. I've given him something to boost his immune system and help heal what he's put his body through. What he needs is a steady diet of good food and a solid place to live."

Barnett passed Sam a PADD, "Here, Sam, take this test, will you?"

McCoy grinned, "Not letting this Kirk slip through your fingers?"

Barnett gave a half grin himself, "We owe it to Jim to save his brother." Sam left San Francisco later that day, when he returned, he was the man that he hoped his brother would want him to be.

McCoy returned to the Chapel later that night after the crowds had left. Jim still lay where he'd been, still and quiet. "Well, Jim, I couldn't save you, but, just maybe, we can save Sam. We did good, Jim, we'll take care of him," McCoy stood there contemplating the universe at large. He'd seen Joanna a few days before, and tomorrow, he would bury his best friend. He'd give it all up just to have Jim back.

**Of course he's not dead…**

Jim, Spock and Sam stood in the computer room watching, it had been a few years since they'd reprogrammed the simulation and no one had yet figured it out in time. Sam was now a lieutenant, having passed Officer's Candidate School easily and stood next to Jim with a grin. "So, you're betting this new one will do it."

"Saavik's sharp enough," Jim said nodding at the young Vulcan as she sat calmly in the Captain's seat. "Went through the Vulcan Science Academy in two years." Spock watched as the simulation started. To Jim's amazement, she got it in twenty seconds flat. He grinned as he watched Saavik pick up on of the tribbles off the floor and start to pet it after ordering the crew to head home, ship rescued and all. "The thing about the reprogram, Sam, is that the answer is never the same. Just because one way would have worked one day, doesn't mean it will the next. Good job, Cadet. Meet us in the ready room." She nodded as she left the room.

"Just as you predicted, Jim," Spock said with satisfaction. She was his protégé after all.

Jim grinned as he clapped Sam on the shoulder, "Care to join us, Sam? She's only the second person to beat this test."

"Who was the first?" Sam asked, perplexed.

"I was," Jim said. "That's why we revamped it, I cheated." Jim started to tell Sam exactly what he did on the way to the debriefing. Sam was laughing so hard he cried when they reached the room.

"No wonder they keep trying to promote you to Admiral!"

"And I keep running away, I suppose I'll have to accept eventually, in another seventy-five, eighty years."

Barnett came running in out of breath, "Is it true? She passed?" Kirk nodded as they all walked into the room.

"Congratulations, Cadet, you're only the second person to beat the simulation," Kirk noted how she stiffened even more so than before, always a Vulcan. "You'll be joining us on our next trip out, provided Tactical doesn't try to steal you first," he said looking sideways at Barnett, who shook his head. He had no intention of letting this slip out before Enterprise left orbit. "Go out and celebrate." Everyone took off at a run.

"You need to come over for dinner, Jim, you and Carol haven't met Peter," Sam said. Peter was Sam's newborn son.

Jim smiled, "How's tonight sound? Carol's been trying to get over to your house for a while. We'll bring David as well."

Sam smiled, somehow their lives had settled into a routine. They both knew that could change, their jobs were dangerous, and no one could tell what might happen next. "Oh, Chris is coming too. I think he enjoys playing Grandpa."

"I don't think it, I know it," Jim said. "You'll see him with David tonight, and be forewarned how he's going to treat Peter."

The two brothers walked away from Barnett, so much alike, yet so different. Starfleet was lucky to have them both.


	4. Chapter 4

**Fathers and Daughters**

by Starsinger

**This follows the same pattern as the others. If you think the names of these two, and the name of the young man who Lisa introduces in the second half of this story, sounds awfully familiar, then you, like I, are also a Techie. You also know what that means. If you don't, again, not terribly necessary to know it for the story. Don't own any of it.**

Admiral Donald Hayes pulled on his white gloves as he prepared to go to Kirk's funeral. He swallowed hard, the young man had saved his daughter from rape while still in the Academy, and this just felt so wrong. He took a deep, hitching breath, he needed to hold it together for Lisa. He approached his daughter's room and heard her soft weeping within. "Lisa?" he asked opening the door.

Lisa sat on her bed, also in a dress uniform, sobbing. She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose, "I'm sorry, Father, I don't know why I'm this emotional. I only met Jim a few times."

Donald sat heavily on the bed next to her, knowing how she felt, "Don't be sorry, sweetheart. He saved your life, and we couldn't save his." She nodded looking down at her hands in her lap, tissue held tightly. "Chin up, Lisa, car will be here soon."

Lisa rose and followed him outside as a black car hovered outside. They entered and sat quietly inside, watching the scenery stream by. It was an obscenely beautiful day outside, and Lisa felt the ache in her heart that was so foreign, yet familiar. The last time she felt this was when she was ten and her mother died.

The funeral was a private affair. Jim's friends and crew showed up. Donald and Lisa walked into the Chapel and walked up to pay their respects to the deceased. Donald patted Jim's hand, unsure as what to say. Lisa put the single red rose she clutched in her own hand on his unmoving chest. Donald watched as she struggled with her emotions. He put his arm around her and handed her the box of tissue he'd brought with him. It was strange how someone who you knew so briefly could so profoundly affect your life.

Donald steered Lisa to a pew and sat her down before looking around. He spotted McCoy up front talking with Scotty and Sulu. They saluted as he approached. He returned their salutes, "What about Jim's family?"

"We can't reach his mother, Winona," McCoy replied, "and Sam, his brother, is off to Boot Camp as we speak. There is someone else that might be coming, ah, there he is." They all looked up to see an older gentleman entering the chapel. He looked enough like Jim to be related. "Richard!" McCoy called. The man walked up to the coffin, glancing in with a sigh. "Admiral Hayes, this is Richard Kirk, Jim's paternal uncle."

The other man sighed, "It's kind of sad when the only family present is an uncle whose only seen Jim a few times in his life. Oh, I understand about Sam, Leonard, don't worry about that. I'd've gotten him out of here too if I were you. Listen, about Jim's will, he left some money for Joanna in a trust fund for her education. I'm transferring it to Starfleet's JAG office tomorrow for distribution when the time comes. The rest goes to you and the rest of his crew as you see fit." McCoy looked away, Jim had always thought of others. Even the little girl he had come to love as his own.

McCoy's heart leaped into his throat as he looked up to find Jocelyn and Joanna walking down the aisle toward him. He hurriedly excused himself and walked quickly up to them, scooping up the little girl into his arms, "How? Who?"

"Nyota called me, Leonard. How could I not be here?" she said softly. She joined him as they walked up to see Jim.

"Daddy? What's wrong with Uncle Jim? Why won't he wake up?" her little voice broke McCoy's heart.

"Jo, Uncle Jim is dead," he softly explained. "He will never wake up again." The little girl looked at her Father as tears streamed down his face. "This will be the last time we see Uncle Jim, sweetheart," he finally said.

"Is he in heaven, Daddy?" she asked.

Jim wasn't a particularly religious person, but if anybody deserved to be there, it was definitely him, "Yes, honey, Uncle Jim is in heaven." As the service began McCoy sat down next to Lisa and Admiral Hayes. Then he turned his eyes skyward with a silent wish, "If you're watching, Jim, thank you, for everything."

**And alive**

Jim sat in his wheelchair adjusting his dress uniform. Today was a happy day, and Bones was letting him out of the hospital for this special occasion. He looked up to find Donald Hayes walking in his door, "Hey, Jim, ready to go?"

Jim grinned. He was using the hoverchair this time, so as not to get his white dress gloves dirty. "How's Lisa?" Jim asked.

"Nervous," Donald replied with a laugh, "as she should be. I'm glad you could come. I'll drop you off at the Chapel and see you later." Jim smiled, this would be a good day.

Jim wheeled himself into the chapel and found Pike standing there, "Aren't you walking yet?" Chris smiled down at the younger man.

"Hey, I thought you'd like a change, I mean me looking up at you, not the other way around!" Jim said with a laugh.

Pike shook his head, cane in hand, "Not as much as you'd think. No, seriously, when are you going to be walking?"

"Already am, Chris. It's just a long, slow process." They looked around as guests started to fill the chapel. He recognized Lieutenant Commander Claudia Grant and Commander Roy Fokker immediately. They were fine officers whom he'd tried to get on the Enterprise, unsuccessfully. Captain Henry Gloval, of the USS Macross, had beaten him to them, much to his dismay. Lisa would be his First Officer, after the honeymoon of course.

Claudia smiled and walked over and looked down at him, "You look good, Jim. Better than those pictures a few weeks ago."

Kirk chuckled, "Yeah, well, those weren't my idea!"

"Sure Jim, always the media hound, even unconscious!" Roy said with his half grin.

"Hey, shouldn't you be with the groom?" Claudia asked Roy. Roy gave a sardonic salute before kissing Claudia and leaving for other parts of the Chapel. They set the wheelchair on the outside aisle so as not to trip over anyone. Claudia also disappeared, being the maid of honor and all. Jim watched as a handsome man with a shock of black hair and startling blue eyes came in and turned around.

"That's Commander Rick Hunter," Chris murmured. Jim nodded, he'd heard a lot of good things about the man. He'd also heard that he was cocky, just like someone else he knew. Everyone stood, except Jim, as the bridal procession started. Donald escorted Lisa down the aisle to her waiting groom, Jim grinned, Lisa was beautiful.

At the reception, Lisa came over and kissed Jim on the cheek before introducing her to her new husband, "I'm glad you could make it."

Jim shook Rick's hand, "I'm glad I could too. You're a lucky man, Rick."

Rick wrapped an arm around Lisa's waist, "Don't I know it." Lisa laughed. They moved off as someone else took control of the chair.

"Captain, I've been given strict instructions that you need to get something to eat," Roy's voice intruded. Jim groaned. "Chris is afraid what McCoy will say if you don't." Roy was right, Jim knew he was. They got in line and Jim was faced with a buffet. He took the bare minimum that he knew McCoy would want him too and maneuvered himself back to his table, non-alcoholic punch in hand. Roy watched him eat in silence while munching on his own goodies. "Wow, you really do eat like a bird."

Jim shrugged, "Old habits die hard." Kirk looked around, "You know, we're here so often for funerals and other sad events, it's nice to have something happy occur here."

"I agree, Jim, I agree."


	5. Chapter 5

**Komack**

by Starsinger

**Now, even I realize that there are only so many of these that I can do, but I'm still doing them, go figure. It started out as an exercise in getting Pike back into Star Trek, and has since run amok. OY! Don't own them.**

The hearse arrived at 0700 hours, and the chapel would open for visitors at 0900 hours. It gave the funeral director two hours to prepare everything for visitors. Flowers had started arriving the day before and already filled the chapel sanctuary. Komack opened the doors and watched as six burly men pulled the casket out of the hearse and onto their shoulders. They walked slowly into the building where a stand had been set up for the coffin. Mercifully, the coffin was closed. Komack shut the doors behind them.

He watched them set the coffin down and a busy woman in her mid-forties opened it up. He couldn't see into it until he got closer. He looked over her shoulder and discovered her straightening Jim's dress gloves and draping his arms a little more naturally over his chest. Then he watched her fix his hat, polish the Captain's bars on his collar, and take a feather duster and run it over the top half of the body that could be seen. Komack nearly sneezed just watching.

The woman's professional demeanor was very reassuring as she touched up the small amount of make-up that had been applied to Jim's skin to make it more natural looking, less yellow. Then she and her staff set about arranging everything else. A giant picture of Kirk on the day he was given the Enterprise was set up on an easel. It showed his laughing blue eyes and genuine smile to advantage. Then came the hard part, the multitude of flowers. At 0845 the Honor Guard arrived and took their places on either side of the Captain, and at 0900 the doors opened to the public. The funeral director and her staff had disappeared at that point and Komack was startled by the long line waiting at the door. In fact, it appeared to stretch out the Academy gates and down the street.

An hour later he had to post a guard in front of the casket. People were trying to take souvenirs. He'd already had to replace two pairs of gloves and three hats before someone trying to fit a three year old into the bottom of the casket for Jim's shoes drew Komack's ire. The San Francisco police stationed one of their finest there to prevent that from happening again. Then there were the girls. They kissed Kirk, as morbid as that sounds. Two hours into this, the Funeral Director had to be called back in to wipe off the lipstick marks and redo the make-up. The police man put an end to that as well. When the Chapel doors finally closed at 2100 hours, Komack was exhausted. "Jim, only you would cause trouble lying in a coffin!" he exclaimed.

The next day was a much smoother affair, the police knew his job, and was fairly good at it. No one tried to stick a toddler into the coffin, which was just plain morbid, and the worst that they had to deal with were people trying to take pictures with the Captain. Komack sat back and shook his head as he told Pike this in his hospital room. "Jim was to pretty for his own good," Pike murmured.

Komack watched as Pike picked at his food, "Jim would want you to be healthy, Chris. Eat what they gave you." Pike compressed his lips as he shook his head. He shouldn't be burying someone this young, he shouldn't be outliving a man he considered his own son.

"Thank you, Bob, I mean it. I'd give anything to be there tomorrow," Komack nodded and left.

The next day Komack, Barnett, and Hayes stood on one side of the coffin as Scotty, Spock and McCoy stood on the other. As one they lifted it up to their shoulders and carried it out to the hearse. When the reached the cemetery, they pulled it out and laid it on the winch that would lower it into the ground. Komack let the tears flow freely. Jim had been the biggest pain in the ass at the Academy, but, dammit, why couldn't Marcus realize that they needed him! He wished, for one second, he could go back and wring that man's neck, but nothing would bring back the dead. He wasn't the only one who mourned for what might have been.

**Jim's being a pain in the ass**

The first sign that Jim was in here was his wheelchair, it was sitting by the door. When Pike had given Kirk the assignment of reprogramming the Kobayashi Maru, Komack thought it had been a bad idea. Then, he got a look at what Jim had planned for the test, and grudgingly admitted that Jim was right. He found Jim elbow deep in a machine on the floor. "Jim, what are you doing?"

"Upgrading the wiring on this thing," came the disembodied voice. "It's at least thirty years old."

"Spock upgraded this before you took it," Komack replied.

"Well, Spock's a scientist, not an engineer," Jim replied.

"I suppose you are?" Komack asked.

"Well, my Master's degree in Engineering says that I am," Kirk said, pushing himself out from under the computer. "Scotty, how's it behaving?" Jim called.

"Ach, better now, Captain, but somethin's sparkin' on main five," Scotty replied from seemingly nowhere.

"On it!" Jim called as he sat up. Komack wondered if he was going to try to stand up and walk over there, but then realized he was on a rolling board, and just scooted himself across the room to the next panel. Komack watched as Kirk removed the panel and started in on the new wiring.

"Jim, do you have any other talents/degrees I should know about?"

"Did he tell ye he has another one in Theoretical Physics?" Scotty asked, popping out of nowhere with a spanner in his hand. "He's actually written his theses for his doctorate in both Engineering and Theoretical Physics."

Komack waved Scotty away, "Jim, McCoy sent me in here. Have you eaten?"

"Uh, since breakfast? No," came the guilty reply. It was 1700 hours, breakfast had been at 0800.

"Come on, I brought you some soup and sandwiches, you too, Mr. Scott. McCoy doesn't want you to feel neglected." Jim sat up and ate where he was, Scotty sat down next to him as they discussed the engineering paper Jim had submitted. "Wait, intership beaming? Isn't that dangerous?"

"Well, yes, it is now, but theoretically, it could be done regularly and safely. It would save a lot of time and effort if someone could safely beam someone up from say, a planet, directly to sickbay from the ship itself. Even from ground based control it's still tricky, just as Scotty." Scotty nodded, remembering his first trip to the Enterprise. "Unfortunately, at the rate technology is going, it'll be another thirty years before it can be done."

"Now, if you do it, you just hope you don't get beamed into a wall," Komack muttered. Komack watched as they finished their food, and their work before running a proto-simulation. He noticed the timer on the wall counting down from 52 seconds. Jim leaned on a cane as they watched it all unfold. Komack was impressed as the simulation stopped at 0. "It's at this point one of two things will happen, the cadet will either rescue the stranded ship, or get 'blown to smithereens'." Kirk said.

Komack chuckled, "You are one sadistic son of a bitch, you know that, Jim?"

"Learned it from the best!"

**Military time, from 0000 (midnight) to 1200 (noon) its pretty straight forward, it's the time it looks like: 0800=8 am. No colons are inserted into military time. After noon (1300-2400) subtract 12 from it and you've got the time. 2100=9 pm. 2400 and 0000 are the same time, there is no 2401, it's 0001. Okay enough with quick explanations. Just saw the trailer for the Walking Dead shown at Comic Con. So excited, almost as excited as for Once Upon a Time, or Into Darkness coming out on September 10. So many things, so little time.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Spock Prime and Sarek**

by Starsinger

**I give up, I'm not changing the name. Don't own them.**

It was with a heavy heart that Spock Prime entered the chapel. His friend Jim Kirk was dead years before he should have been. Sarek walked behind him respectfully nodding to those who gathered to pay their respects. Spock stopped and looked at the coffin, there, beside it, was Richard Kirk. He had met him a few times in his own reality. Once when Jim's father, George, died and again when Sam died and Aurelan died. Peter, Sam's son, had grown into a fine Starfleet officer, following in his famous Uncle's footsteps. The two of them approached the coffin with expressionless faces.

Spock hadn't wanted to believe it possible. Even though he knew that this Spock was incapable of lying still, that would've changed had Jim remained alive. Then, there it was. The reality of it confronted them both. Jim lay still and lifeless in the casket. Spock couldn't help but remember the boundless energy that had permeated the man as he made his way through life. His Jim had lived a long a full life, while his death was equally unexpected, it was done after many adventures and the occasional misunderstanding.

Unwillingly, Spock reached out a hand, even knowing that there would be nothing there to touch. No spark of life, no brilliant point of light to brighten the darkest room. It was empty, a shell of a man. He turned to Sarek as the other man noticed the sadness deepen in the older man's eyes. Sarek nodded as they went to greet Richard, "We grieve with thee," came the traditional salute. Richard nodded his thanks. Sarek and Spock Prime talked with Spock and McCoy. McCoy was holding his daughter, Joanna. Spock Prime didn't say much as he sat down to wait for the service to start.

It was halfway through the service that Spock felt it. He felt old. He felt he'd lived too long. He'd watched his friends die, one by one, and now, it was starting all over again. Only it was too soon. After the graveside services he met up with them at Richard's house. Not surprisingly a somber affair. None really comprehended that Jim Kirk was gone. Sarek watched him as he stood looking out a bay window that looked onto the bay.

"What are you thinking Spock?" Sarek would always be his father, no matter how much older than he was now.

"I've lost my friend again, a second time, and I can't help but wonder why," Spock replied, his back remained to the door.

"I don't think there are any answers to that question, Spock. We can only grieve and move on, as he would want us to do," Sarek replied. Spock nodded at the wisdom of his words, but he couldn't help but wonder what would happen to this crew now that the glue that always held them together was now gone.

**Five Years Later, with Jim not dead**

Spock looked across the shuttle bay where the promotion ceremony would take place. This was always an exciting time for those getting promoted, and he remembered those times when his own name was called. He looked over and found both Saavik and Sarek both looking serenely upon what was transpiring in front of them.

"Commander Spock," Kirk announced. Spock stepped forward as he was promoted to the rank of Captain. Spock shook Kirk's hand, as was usual for this ceremony.

Kirk opened his mouth to say a few words to the assembled as Admiral Pike stepped forward, an evil gleam in the man's eye. "Captain James Tiberius Kirk!" he called. Jim's mouth snapped shut as he stiffened to attention and approached Pike hesitantly. "You are hereby promoted to the rank of Fleet Captain, with all the privileges and pain involved. You'll get your orders to report to the command cruiser, USS Joshua tomorrow. The Enterprise will be in drydock for refit and repairs for a few weeks, so you might as well get adjusted to another ship, even if she's temporary." There were cheers, and laughter among the crew. Jim looked bewildered. He'd just turned down a promotion to Rear Admiral, pointing out that he belonged in the Captain's chair, now they were giving him a fleet!

Later that night Pike talked to him about the Joshua. "The USS Joshua is a command cruiser. Any officer with the ability to command a fleet can go aboard her and coordinate whatever happens from her. She's not as big as Enterprise, but she can defend herself quite easily. She has two bridges, the second one is the Command and Control, or CinC. For some reason, her crew has nicknamed it the 'battle bridge'. I'm not exactly sure about that one. The CinC is separate from the bridge itself, where the control functions of the ship itself are run, but, real time data can be run from either bridge. Her commander is Captain John Coward, a capable man who's been in Starfleet for over twenty years."

"Excuse me, did you say 'Coward'?" Jim asked with a grin.

"Yeah, Coward, that is his name, and his crew like to make jokes about it too. He has a few retired captains on board in civilian capacity, one some of your crew will recognize, Kris McDaniel." Uhura and Chekov's eyes lit up while Spock nodded in satisfaction. "Not surprisingly, she's in the Science Department. Oh, I should warn you about his wife, Rende. She gets a gleam in her eye when she spots a new man on board. She likes to play with them. You might enjoy yourself though, but Chekov might run for the hills. Just warn Carol that she's playing, nothing more." This was an understatement, Jim had no idea what he was in for.

Later that evening Jim was in his office, contemplating going back to the quarters he now shared with Carol and their son David, when the office door rang. "Enter!" he said. Sarek and Spock Prime glided in. He rose with a genuine smile, "Sarek, Spock, it's good to see you."

"Congratulations, Jim, well deserved," Sarek responded. Jim looked down at the new stripes on his uniform.

"They say we're getting new uniforms soon, should be interesting," Jim said sitting down. "I heard you've begun courting again, Sarek. How's that going?"

"She's Betazoid, and quite compatible as a companion. She's even getting along with Spock and Uhura," Sarek responded.

Spock, while not enthusiastic about a stepmother, was understanding his father's need not to be alone, and did enjoy the woman's company. Uhura approved. "Well, we shall see what will happen, won't we?" Jim said with a smile. Indeed, one never knew what the universe might have in store.

**Jim's adventures on the USS Joshua are on "This Is a Command Ship?", which I stopped when I got in the middle of "Two Weeks of Hell". Go figure. Please Read and Review, these are my lifeblood!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sinister People**

by Starsinger

**Believe it or not, not everyone's sad that Jim's dead. One person's perfectly happy that he's dead, and he'd going to make sure himself that he's dead. Asshole. Second part, Jim confronts aforementioned asshole, so you won't be left hanging as to whom it is. Don't own them.**

Midnight, and all was quiet in the chapel. Kirk's casket sat closed at the altar awaiting the activities of the next day. Dark shadows slipped into the chapel, unseen by anyone. "I don't know, this just seems sacrilegious," one whispered.

"Ah, don't worry about it," another replied. "We're just being paid to help the old man make sure it is who he thinks it is. Not like we're going to harm him or nothin'. He is already dead." The callous disregard for the man's body would have made most people mutter in horror. Instead, one tall, straight figure lead them up to the coffin, and he opened it. He gazed at the man it held, his face expressionless.

"Alright, let's sit him up and raise up his jacket, I want a look at his back," the man said. They carefully maneuvered their way through the act of sitting him up and rolling the jacket up. One actually ended up sitting in the coffin to balance the body's weight. "The scars are right," he muttered and took pictures. He nodded to them and they lay the body back down. Then he opened the eyes. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, these marked the man for who he really was. They took pictures of those as well. "Close them, even in death they're creepy. It's like they bore right through you. This should be enough to please the old man." They carefully put everything back the way they found it, and left, the chapel remaining quiet.

Two hours later they returned, this time an older, distinguished looking man joined them. He stood, staring at the coffin. "Open it," he snapped. The others hastily complied as he stepped up to see for himself who was inside. He opened the eyes once more to see the glassy blue eyes staring back at him. "So, JT, you are finally dead. Couldn't help but play the hero at the end, could you?" There was no answer from Kirk who continued to stare back at him. He reached forward and closed the eyes again.

The mysterious stranger mused, "You'd think there'd be relief with him dead. There are rumors, though, that he left testimony known only to the Admiralty on his behalf."

"He can't touch you now, sir," one of his cronies replied.

He snorted, "It there's anyone who can reach out to me, even in the grave, it would be JT. Bah! Let's go." They strode out never to be seen again.

The next day, however, the funeral director noticed little things off. The lid of the coffin was open, and she was sure she had closed it the night before. The hat was on the floor and one of the gloves had slipped off his hand. She fixed everything and reported to Admiral Komack. "It's all very strange, it's as if someone slipped in last night and moved him around. His jacket around his back was bunched up, like someone had lifted it up to take pictures or look at it."

"What's on his back?" Komack asked. The funeral home would have seen it when preparing the body.

"That's the funny part, it's a mass of scars. Almost as if he was repeatedly whipped many years ago."

Komack nodded, "Thank you, I'll post guards tonight, make sure nothing else happens." The director nodded her head before leaving. All Komack could do was wonder.

**Well, let's get this asshole…**

"Do you, by those beliefs you hold most sacred, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"

"I do," Kirk replied before sitting.

"For the record, please state your name."

"James Tiberius Kirk, Captain, Starfleet."

"Why are you here?"

Jim sighed, "I'm a member of the Tarsus 9."

"Your name doesn't appear anywhere on any records."

"I'm very good at covering my tracks," Jim replied, his eyes locking with Kodos'. Kodos had never forgotten those eyes. No one had. He had hoped that this man was dead, long buried and forgotten. Now, he was confronted by not only the legendary JT, but the man who saved San Francisco and Enterprise.

"You're supposed to be dead," he whispered. This had to be a conjuring, a ghost from his past. His eyes finally broke away from the stare. Nothing could have prepared him for it. Later, as he stood for sentencing, he turned and looked at the victims of his plans. They all stared back, unflinching. They all waited to hear justice be done as he was sentenced to a penal colony. His sinister past had finally caught up with him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Tarsus 8**

by Starsinger

**Kevin calls everyone about Jim, and they get pissed, I mean really pissed. Second is also the reunion, just not a dead Jim reunion. Don't own any of them.**

_I've found JT_, the note read. _Hurry._ So, they came, Tom, Matt, Dina, Sarah, Sammi, David and Jonni. An hour before the crowds were allowed in, they came in to view the body. They gathered, unsure as to whether or not it really was JT. "He is," Kevin said quietly.

"I can't see his eyes," Dina said. "I'd believe it if I could." Kevin walked over to the picture that had been covered the evening before and uncovered it. There was a collective gasp as they all recognized the eyes. "Oh, god, it was him. Now he's gone." McCoy watched the emotional scene, almost as emotional as when the crew had been let through the day before to pay their own respects. Each member of JT's gang walked up and touched him, not really wanting to let him go after just finding him.

"Why didn't you call us before?" Tom asked Kevin.

"I really didn't have time. I figured once we were back on Earth for a few days, I'd talk to him and maybe set up a reunion of sorts. Never got that chance," Kevin looked so very young then, and so very lost.

"Don't blame Kev, Tom, JT did what always did. Gave life a fighting chance to live,"* Dina said. When they were done, Komack stood behind them.

"I need to speak with all of you, in my office." They all traveled to his office where they gathered around his desk. "I have reason to believe that not only is Kodos alive, he was here last night." He told them what the funeral director had found that morning.

Sammi rammed his hand into the desk, startling Komack, "Dammit, JT's dead. Why couldn't he leave well enough alone?" Dina was crying even harder at the thought of the violation that had occurred last night.

"He didn't actually do anything. We don't have cameras in the Chapel, so we never saw anybody. I'm posting guards around the coffin tonight."

Matt stopped his train of thought, "No, it's our last duty to JT. We'll stand watch tonight, and tomorrow." Both nights passed without disturbance, the men never returned. Each survivor was determined to find Kodos before they too died, it was the least that those who died on Tarsus IV, and JT, deserved.

**Jim**

Kirk awoke from yet another enforced nap to find seven people looking at him with wide eyes and the eighth closing the door behind him. "Hi," Jim managed blinking at them owlishly.

Jonni walked up and touched his face. "It's true, you're alive. I wasn't sure if I could believe it, even after Dina and Tommy confirmed it."

Jim gave his famous half grin, "What, not believe Kev? Not something he'd lie about."

"We know JT," Matt said quietly as he deposited himself on the edge of the bed. "You've just become very good at hiding."

Jim nodded his head as he told the story of what happened after he was rescued from Tarsus IV. They all nodded their heads in understanding. Over the next few days they all came to see him and talk to him. They all gave testimony as to their experiences, and let him keep his cover.

It was at Kodos' trial, when it was all finally over, that they came to terms with each other and what they represented. They were survivors, they lived in testament to what the human body and spirit can endure. Many would go on lecture tours, others would help build the museum so that no one would ever forget, most of all, they lived their lives to the best of their abilities. One man's verdict no longer touched their lives.

*** Name that movie. Which Star Trek movie did this quote come from, who said it, and to whom. Bonus, what were they watching happen when it was spoken. Cookies to all who get it right. Brownies to anyone who can quote the line that immediately preceded it as well.**


	9. Chapter 9

**The Empty Chair**

by Starsinger

**Here's the answer to that bit of Trivia:**

"_My God Bones, what have I done?" Kirk asked, watching as the Enterprise destroys itself across the skies of the Genesis Planet._

"_What you had to do. What you always do. Give life a fighting chance to live," Bones replied._

**It is said that the longest period of silence ever witnessed in movie theaters across the USA happened during this movie, Star Trek III: the Search for Spock, as we saw the unbelievable. Kirk set the Enterprise on self-destruct so the Klingons wouldn't have her, and gave him the chance to rescue both Spock and Saavik from the dying planet below. Well, fortunately, the next movie won't be Star Trek XIII: the Search for Kirk! lol Cookies and brownies to AlbusSPotter for knowing this bit of Trivia. The command crew comes back to the Enterprise one last time before its recommissioning. A big hole left with the one who should be there with them gone. Don't own any of them.**

None of them wanted to be here. This was the hardest part of the journey so far. In the past year Spock and Uhura had gone their separate ways. McCoy was drinking heavily. Scotty had delved himself so deeply into reworking the warp core so that the tragedy that befell Kirk never happened again, Chekov had to drag him from his work. Sulu's once open and friendly face had not seen a smile since. Pike had become ruthless, he continued teaching cadets, but he was determined to destroy Section 31, and his single-mindedness scared many people.

They were all dressed in their formal dress uniforms as they ascended the bridge and looked around. None could look at the center seat. Even Pike turned his back and followed Spock to the Science station. Captain April would be the next man in that chair, and he was welcome to it. They all ran their hands over the familiar stations as silence reigned. No one said a word, no one knew what to say. HE wasn't here. HE should be here with them. HE never would be again.

Finally, reluctantly, they turned to the chair. It sat silently waiting. Uhura's tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks as none of them could bear to break the silence. Finally, Pike sighed as Scotty finally brought out the drinks. He poured enough for each one of them, and one more for that empty space. He raised his glass in toast, "To absent friends."

**The Not so Empty Chair**

"To absent friends," Kirk toasted with his glass. They all drank, they were remembering those lost on the Enterprise nearly a year ago. Kirk's apartment at the Academy was as tidy as his quarters had been. Even tidier now that everything had been packed up and either sent to the ship or into storage. The furniture was all that remained for the next occupant. Spock, Sarek, and Saavik had joined them for this last night on Earth. Everyone in this apartment, with the exception of Pike, would be leaving the next day. The Vulcans for New Vulcans, the Enterprise crew back on their ship where they belonged.

They broke into small groups as Kirk went to the kitchen to set out the finger food that he had bought. He cleaned up after himself. "Some things don't change," he heard behind him. He turned to find Saavik behind him.

Jim smiled, "Such as?"

"Our Jim was also obsessively tidy. May I give you a hand?" she asked. He nodded as she set out the trays and drinks.

"You're well versed in human customs," he said conversationally.

"You spend a hundred years in another culture and see if you can't pick up their habits," she said whimsically. Kirk chuckled.

"You remember Khan?" he asked.

"Yes, I do. We never actually met, but he did try to kill me. It wasn't anything personal, I just happened to be on the same ship you were on. Well, it wasn't personal for me, anyway. I'm just going to leave it at that he blamed you for a lot, so he wanted vengeance."

"Ah," Kirk said. He watched as she put away the dishes and wiped off the counters. "I'm glad you came, he was so very lonely."

Saavik nodded, "Yes, he was, and so was I. Our children understood." Saavik picked up her own glass and exited the kitchen as Pike took her place.

"So, that was your first glass of alcohol in nearly a year. How'd it taste?" Pike asked.

"Awful," Jim replied. "Why did I go out and drink that stuff?"

"I think you were trying to run away," Chris replied. He watched as Kirk pulled out a container of orange juice and dump it in a glass. "Well, that is better for you," he said with a laugh.

"Admiral, Chris, thank you. Thank you for believing in me when no one else, myself included, would," Kirk said, swallowing his OJ.

"Dr. Kirk," Pike said with a laugh, "you are the man I always said you would be. Just remember those lessons you had to learn the hard way. People will die on this trip, it's the nature of exploration. Just remember that your crew is the best in the fleet, and you'll do fine. Even earn an Admiralty on your return."

Kirk laughed, "No, I'm not cut out to be an Admiral. I'm afraid I'd end up like Marcus. Leave me in the Captain's chair."

"That you're afraid to end up like Marcus means you never will, Jim, keep that in mind. Tomorrow starts a whole new life for you and your friends. May fair winds always be at your back."


	10. Old Man Bones

**Old Man Bones**

by Starsinger

**This is set about eighty years in the future. McCoy has just returned from an inspection tour of the newest Starship named Enterprise, NCC 1701-D, a Galaxy Class that made the Constitution class look like a midget. He sits down with his great-grandchildren to talk about an old friend, long gone. Don't own any of them.**

Joanna smiled as she heard the familiar chorus of children, "Uncle Jim! Tell us about Uncle Jim!"

She turned to watch her father, Dr. Leonard McCoy, Admiral, Starfleet Retired thank you very much, sit slowly down in the chair facing his great-grandchildren. It was a sad smile that crossed her face, for a few years no one knew if McCoy would ever get beyond losing his best friend. Thank GOD for Christine Chapel. She smiled as her equally elderly stepmother sat in the chair next to her father. She turned to look at her half-brother, Jim, and half-sisters Carrie and Stephanie. Theirs was a knowing smile that this would take Dad the better part of the afternoon and into his nap. She had her own memories of Uncle Jim, and anyone who asked, he was a warm, caring man who helped her become an engineer. She had been as equally determined to ensure that what happened to Kirk never happened again as Scotty.

Joanna turned to see Saavik and Spock enter the house, Saavik was extremely pregnant with hers and Spock's first child. Oddly enough, it was Spock's old flame, Nyota, who had finally gotten them together. They all stopped and watched as McCoy told stories about Jim's exploits, the ones fit for young ears, anyway. He always stopped with Nibiru. He never went beyond that, but one day, one innocent little voice would ask the question that would make McCoy cry. This hadn't happened yet, and Joanna was grateful. He finished the Nibiru story and looked up to see his adult audience, "Saavik, what are you doing standing up? Come over here and rest your feet and aching back!" he commanded.

Saavik was saved by one of the grandsons pulling out a chair. She sat down with a relieved sigh. "Okay everyone!" Joanna spoke, "Let's let Grandpa rest. He's had a long journey, after all. He went to see that brand new starship named Enterprise."

Uhura, Chekov and Scotty joined them as the kids scampered off to play. "How was it?" Nyota asked.

"That ship is HUGE, and it has families on board! Can you imagine bringing your family on a cruise like that? Captain Picard has his hands full!" McCoy chuckled. He watched as Spock laid a hand on Saavik's shoulder, "So, how's the boy doing? Growing well?"

Saavik contemplated her belly, "I still have a month to go. The Healers tell me everything is going well. He certainly enjoys playing with my bladder." Joanna chuckled remembering those moments all too well. She passed out glasses of water, for Saavik's sake.

McCoy lifted his glass in toast, "We've lost a lot of friends along the way: Pike, Sulu, and Jim among others. I was once told that it gets easier. Then, I read a quote from a wise woman that said, 'It doesn't get easier, not for a long time. It simply gets less hard.' I'll be damned but she was right. Eighty years later and it's still getting less hard. I really hope I see him when I die, he has a lot of explaining to do. To Jim."

"To Jim."

**Another universe, same time, Jim isn't dead, and is actually with Bones at Bones' home. Yeah, I know, I'm pretending that what happened in Generations didn't happen. Those of you who know what I'm talking about, do you really blame me? The rest of you, don't worry about it.**

Jim sat down in the chair, cane between his knees. Fleet Admiral James T Kirk, Ret. and Vice Admiral Leonard McCoy, Ret. looked at each other with a grin, Carol and Christine soon joined them. "That's a damn fine ship, if you ask me," McCoy said.

"Well, yeah, after we had to drag you there kicking and screaming," Jim said with a grin. Carol and Chris looked at each other with knowing grins. These two could go at it all day, even at well over 100. "I do understand about the families, too. It would have been a long voyage if Carol had had to leave after David was born." He looked at his wife fondly.

Joanna came in, "They're here, and they brought Sopher."

Nyota was the first one in the room dragging a chair in from the dining room and putting a pillow in place, the proud godmother was grinning ear to ear. Then, Saavik and Spock stepped into the room. She looked around to see a quiet audience, and nodded. She walked over to Kirk and placed the quiet bundle in his arms. The boy's godfather smiled. "He's beautiful, Saavik. Congratulations to you both." Jim watched as Spock carefully handed his consort into the chair Uhura had so thoughtfully pulled out.

It had only been a couple of weeks since the birth, and Saavik looked tired. "How are you feeling?" Carol asked as a couple of kids zoomed by. One of them looked like Jake Sisko. It was hard to tell at this point. Sure enough Ben and Jennifer stepped through the door, Curzon Dax right behind them, a gleam in the old man's eye.

"Sore in places that I wasn't prepared for," Saavik replied. "I'll be returning to the Bunton in a month." Jim smiled with pride. Saavik was his success story. She was the first to pass the revamped Kobayashi Maru, and continued to excel, finally accepting her own command not that long ago. The only one who didn't come to this reunion was Sulu. He'd passed away three years ago in his sleep.

"You know Soper, Jake, Thomas, Kevin, they all represent the future. So I propose a toast, To Absent Friends, and to New Friends, who are just starting their journeys. May they all Live Long and Prosper."


	11. Chapter 11

**Joanna McCoy**

by Starsinger

**Jim Kirk loved this little girl enough to leave her something in his will. Something that would profoundly affect her life, and ensure that she would never forget her Uncle Jim. The following is from her speech given to at her high school graduation, she was the Valedictorian, and headed for MIT. Don't own them.**

"When I was two years old, my father came home. You see, he was a cadet at Starfleet Academy, studying to become a ship's doctor. When he came home, he brought with him Uncle Jim. Uncle Jim was that fun uncle that everybody wants to come play with. He snuck me out for ice cream and babysat me when Dad needed to get things done. Secretly, Mom would call Uncle Jim and ask him to come babysit when she had a date. He managed to get Dad to come with him without him ever knowing that Mom had called him."

Uncle Jim took me to the fishing pool, taught me how to swim, and, while he never kissed my knees when I scraped them and made them better, he knew how to cheer me up when Mom and Dad would fight. One day Dad went to space with Uncle Jim on a ship called Enterprise. They saved Earth that day, and Dad took charge of sickbay, the place where the treat the injured and sick on a starship. Uncle Jim became its captain. That's right, my Uncle Jim was Captain James Kirk, and my father is Doctor Leonard McCoy."

For a year they had many adventures together, and they would always write me and tell me how things were going. Then, one day, Dad came home without Uncle Jim. He spent the entire day with me making sure I knew just how much he loved me and how proud he was of me. I was five, and I didn't understand the implications of what had happened in San Francisco. I didn't know how much it would impact my life. Two days later Mom took me to San Francisco, and I was excited, I was going to see Dad and Uncle Jim."

I didn't understand then, as I looked at him in the coffin, that that was the last time I would ever see him. Dad told me that he was dead. I was told people went to heaven when they died, so I asked Dad if Uncle Jim had gone there, and he said yes. Let's put this in perspective, at five, heaven is just as abstract a concept as death is. I had no real idea of what was going on and what I was saying. I cried because Uncle Jim would never come play with me again."

When I was sixteen I finally asked Dad what happened to Uncle Jim. He explained about the sabotaged warp core and Uncle Jim's decision to enter it to save the ship and his family. That the radiation from the damaged warp core had killed him. I was old enough to understand that there was nothing Dad could have done to save Uncle Jim at that point. I decided my career path then and there. Dad told me to apply to whatever college I wanted. It would be paid for."

MIT is an expensive college, and I was accepted. I want to be an engineer, just like Uncle Montgomery Scott. Then, I received a letter from Starfleet Command, confirming my choice of schools. Two weeks later, I received a letter from MIT that my tuition would be paid in full. Uncle Jim had left money for me with his Uncle Richard. Uncle Richard turned that over to Starfleet's JAG who took care of it under the Starfleet Dependent's program that pays out benefits to surviving families of fallen Starfleet personnel. That money, over the past thirteen years, grew enough to pay for my years at MIT, plus a little extra."

Joanna paused, looking over the audience. Dad, Christine, Mom, Uncle Spock, Aunt Uhura, Aunt Carol, Uncle Pavel, Uncle Hikaru, Uncle Richard, Uncle Christopher, and Uncle Sarek, along with her half-brother, Jim, and her half-sisters, Carrie and Stephanie, all there watching her proudly, "To all who inspire us to do our best, we love you, and remember you. We will strive to make this universe a better place and will always hold you in our hearts, forever. Thank you Uncle Jim."

**Jim's there**

Joanna ran up and hugged her parents nearly knocking McCoy's hat from his head, "Daddy, Uncle Jim! When did you get back?"

"Last night, did you really think we'd miss your graduation?" Kirk asked with a grin.

Jocelyn smiled, "Glad you could make it. Where's Chris and Carol?"

Jim and Bones looked around, their significant others and several children joining them. Joanna gave Chris a hug as well. Hugs went around as the bridge crew joined them as well. "Have they promoted you to Admiral, yet?" Joanna asked Jim.

"They keep trying," Jim sighed. He was now a Commodore. They were slowly dragging him to the Admiralty, kicking and screaming. "Your Dad's finally made Captain," he said with a glint in his eyes. Joanna smiled at her father as they all took off for the party at the house. Joanna smiled contentedly. In two months time she would follow her father to Ole' Miss to become a physician, but for now, this time was hers to enjoy with everyone she called her family.


	12. Chapter 12

**A Desperate Cry for Help**

by Starsinger

**I'm just going to let the chapter speak for itself. Same routine as always. Don't own them.**

_San Francisco_

The insistent beep from the communicator in the living room woke Kirk up. It had been a late night with his newborn son, and he was exhausted. He turned over to see his wife sound asleep next to him. Shaking his head he got up and answered the comm, "Kirk."

It was the face of an African woman who came on the screen. He had to search his memory for her name, "Uhura?"

"Hi, I know it's late your time, but I got a call from a friend of mine who got a frantic call from a little girl looking for her Daddy. You're the only one who's within range to help…"

_Riverside_

Komack had agreed to this, otherwise, he wouldn't be here. He strode into the bar an hour earlier than he walked out of the house and looked around. The man he was looking for wasn't in the usual dives he had expected to find him in, but this one. There, he found him, and walked over to the bar. "Just water," he told the bartender, "I'm driving."

"Well, if it isn't George Samuel Kirk," drawled the voice next to him. "They send you to find me."

"They're worried, McCoy," Sam answered. "They haven't found you in a few days." He didn't even look at the man. It was hard to believe that the man who had saved his life at his brother's viewing was reduced to this. "I tracked you through your most recent drunk and disorderly."

"Who really cares?" he asked, listing to one side. "The last one to really care died three years ago."

"There's an eight year old in Georgia who desperately misses her Daddy. Jocelyn told me that she was desperately afraid something would happen to her if she let Joanna go with you. She even allowed the call that got me here." McCoy's heart thumped painfully in his chest. JoJo, his little girl was growing up without him.

"She's better off without me," McCoy grumbled.

"You listen to me you son of a bitch!" Sam yelled at him. "She is NOT better off without you! I know what it's like to grow up without a father, and look what happened to ME and JIMMY! YOU were the brother I wasn't, and PIKE was the father that he never had. Don't make the mistake of taking yourself out of her life out of self-pity. MY father didn't have a choice in the matter, HERS does!" Sam had grabbed him by the lapels and was in face screaming at him. "DON'T YOU _DARE_ DISHONOR JIMMY'S MEMORY BY ABANDONING HER!"

McCoy slumped into the barstool and wept. "Jocelyn won't let me see her."

"McCoy, get sober, you can stay with me, Aurelan, and Peter. We'll get you sober. I know how hard this is, I've been there, remember?" McCoy nodded. "Jocelyn told me that she'll let you see JoJo when you're sober. I'll go with you." Sam paid the bartender and the two men left. Christine Chapel met them on the transporter pad and helped McCoy back to Sam's apartment. McCoy spent months in rehab, not wanting to be seen like this. When the anniversary of Jim's death rolled around again, he had a very special visitor.

Sam and Aurelan walked into the rehab, Aurelan carried Peter. Jocelyn had agreed to this as long as one of them stayed with them the entire time. Joanna's concerned little face looked around as she spotted Christine, "Aunt Chris!" she cried.

Chris knelt down and swept her into her arms. Joanna was growing into a tall girl and at nine she was beautiful. "Jo! Your father's going to be so happy to see you!"

"He's getting better? He's not drinking anymore? That's what Uncle Sam said," the little girl's bottom lip quivered. It was Joanna's call to Christine that had set off a chain of events leading here. She had called desperately trying to find someone to help her Daddy.

"Joanna?" came the soft voice behind them.

"Daddy!" she cried running into his arms.

Tears coursed down his face as he looked up at Sam, Chris, and Aurelan, "Thank you." They spent the afternoon together, Sam even treated everyone to lunch as McCoy ordered Iced Tea. "They're releasing me tomorrow, I guess six months here and they figure I can be on my own."

"You'll never be alone, Leonard," Chris said quietly, putting her hand on his. Everyone around the table agreed with her. McCoy nodded

_Six Months Later_

"You know, one of the greatest pleasures a Starship captain has is this duty," Pike began…

_Another universe, same time_

"It's not often I get to perform a double ceremony," everyone laughed. Jim and Carol, and Leonard and Christine stood before him, "You're not going to forget your anniversary, are you guys?" Spock stood with Jim as Scotty stood with McCoy. Sam performed the honors of handing Carol off to his brother before joining his son, the ring bearer.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, no one even cleared their throat when he reached the "objections" part. Everybody applauded as Pike announced they could kiss their brides. Standing beside Carol, Uhura was bawling, and beside Chris, Aurelan wasn't much better. Two figures broke away from their seats and ran up to the parties, Jim swept his son, David up into his arms with a hug, as Joanna hugged the breath out of her father.

"Ladies and Gentleman, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. James Tiberius Kirk and Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Edward McCoy!" Pike announced. "And about damn time, too," he finished. Everyone laughed as they all swept toward the reception. Pike watched as the party went full swing as toasts went around. Finally, he stood up and spoke to them, "I've watched all four of you grow and evolve over the years, and it's been a pleasure, even when you tried dying on us Jimmy." Everyone laughed. "That seemed to have given you a sense of purpose, though, Jimmy, a new lease on life. We all know who we can thank for that," Pike waggled his eyebrows at McCoy."

"Be happy, and have lots of kids. I want more grandkids to dangle on my knee and spoil rotten," he said with a chuckle. "To the happy couples!"


End file.
